“You’re being quite impolite to your aunt.”
Anastasia felt embarrassed upon hearing Wilhelm’s comment, and before she could react, he continued speaking.
“It’s not polite to be so distant to someone who welcomes you. Do you not like your aunt?”
“…No,” Louis responded quietly.
“In that case, you should treat your aunt with more kindness. Misunderstandings could arise otherwise,” Wilhelm advised sternly.
“I apologize, Your Majesty.”
Then, a voice from the side caught Anastasia’s attention, prompting her to turn her head and gaze at its source.
The speaker had luscious olive hair partially tied back and gleaming golden eyes—it was Olivia Fontaine.
Olivia was Louis’ aunt, a woman who hadn’t remarried after the passing of the Emperor and his wife, and who had been looking after Louis on Schweig Island.
“His Highness is quite cautious around unfamiliar individuals as he’s spent most of his life on the island. I hope you can understand,” Olivia explained.
“I don’t believe one’s upbringing can justify rudeness,” Wilhelm retorted with a neutral expression.
“And even if she is unfamiliar to him, isn’t she his aunt?”
“Of course, Your Majesty. I will redouble my efforts in his education,” Olivia assured.
“I’m alright, Your Majesty. The prince is still young…” Anastasia began to respond, but her words trailed off abruptly.
This was because Wilhelm unexpectedly took hold of her hand.
The sudden gesture caught Anastasia off guard, causing her to momentarily forget to breathe.
As Anastasia glanced at Wilhelm, she noticed him gazing at her silently.
Yet, even without words, she could discern his message from that expression.
He was conveying, “Don’t intervene here.”
As Anastasia felt her tension mount, she fortunately managed to release her hand from Wilhelm’s grasp.
He proceeded to inform her of the situation, almost as if he hadn’t just held her hand.
“Lady Fontaine recently sent me a letter. Prince Louis’s health has improved, and he wishes to return to the capital.”
“…He’s feeling better?”
However, in the original book, he passed away at this time of year because his condition deteriorated…
Anastasia questioned Olivia in a panicked tone to confirm.
“Is that accurate, Lady Fontaine?”
“Indeed, Your Majesty. I received clearance from the doctor. We should be able to resume a regular life at the palace.”
“…I’m glad to hear that.”
However, the sudden change felt worrisome. Why was it deviating from the original storyline?
‘It’s Melina’s betrayal. She’s unaware of what occurred, so even if it’s possible…’
Health conditions weren’t easily concealed or manipulated.
While it was genuinely gratifying and relieving that Louis’ health had improved, there was a lingering sense of discomfort aside from that.
“Will the Prince be residing at the Imperial Palace from now on?”
“You should. You’ll stay at the Imperial Palace.”
“It’s convenient that it’s near the Empress’ Palace. I’ll look after him.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
Olivia interjected, saying, “The Empress is occupied with her project; we shouldn’t burden her. I won’t allow you to be concerned about the Imperial Palace either.”
“No, Lady Fontaine,” Anastasia responded with a smile. “Prince Louis is my nephew. Isn’t it natural for me, as his aunt, to look after him?”
Silence followed.
“Isn’t that correct, Your Majesty?”
When Anastasia glanced at Wilhelm and inquired, he responded with a slightly puzzled expression.
“…Are you serious?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, he’s a child…”
“They can be quite a handful. But children around Prince Louis’ age are adorable these days.”
Anastasia swiftly interjected with a smile, prompting a slight frown from Wilhelm. She pondered why he seemed unwilling to the idea.
“Does Her Majesty adore children?” Olivia’s voice chimed in, sounding surprised.
“It’s remarkable. I was under the impression it was the opposite,” she continued.
“What do you mean?”
“I thought you disliked children. Isn’t that widely known?”
“It was true in the past,” Anastasia replied, coughing lightly to mask her embarrassment.
“But not anymore. I quite enjoy being around children now. I’m so fond of them that I even established a school for them. Perhaps you weren’t aware, being on Schweig Island.”
“…”
“I’ve changed since then. I’m not the same person I used to be, so there’s no need to worry.”
“What do you mean, worry?”
“Weren’t you concerned that I wouldn’t be able to look after Prince Louis properly? Well, I assure you, I can handle it.”
“I’m glad to hear that, Your Majesty.”
Olivia said with a smile.
“I’m surprised you’ve changed so suddenly.”
“Not all of a sudden,” Wilhelm interrupted.
Anastasia and Olivia looked at him in surprise as he continued speaking with a wistful look.
“She’s been gradually changing since last year. The lady wouldn’t know because you were only in Schweig.”
“I see. I wasn’t aware,” replied Olivia with a slightly awkward smile.
“I believe I’ll learn more as time goes on. However, Your Majesty, if it’s alright with you, may I take my leave for today? We’ve just arrived, and His Highness must be quite exhausted from the journey.”
“Of course. You should rest,” responded Wilhelm.
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” expressed Olivia gratefully.
With Wilhelm’s approval, Olivia gracefully bowed and addressed him before leaving with Louis.
Strangely, her farewell seemed directed more towards Wilhelm.
As they departed, murmurs arose among the guests in the banquet hall regarding Louis’ unexpected appearance.
Anastasia glanced at Wilhelm, noticing the enigmatic expression on his face. It seemed he was more apprehensive than usual.
“I’ll look after the prince, so you needn’t worry,” Anastasia assured Wilhelm, who remained silent for a prolonged moment before responding.
“Yes,” his answer was brief, contrasting with his complex innermost thoughts.
~~~~
After exiting the banquet hall, Olivia tightly grasped Louis’ hand as they made their way to the palace.
Despite his royal status, he couldn’t ride a carriage within the palace unless he was the current Emperor’s son, a fact that greatly upset Olivia.
However, she resolved to channel this frustration into a more constructive approach.
“You did exceptionally well today, baby.”
In a warm tone, Olivia commended Louis, her gaze vacant as she looked ahead. “You performed admirably in front of those two individuals, just as I instructed. We must maintain this facade in their presence, understood?”
“…Yes.”
“Keep in mind, the current Emperor is responsible for the demise of your parents. The Empress is aligned with him. Both are adversaries to us.”
Louis’ expression contorted at the remark, and Olivia seized the moment to continue speaking.
“Did you notice how the Empress embraced you earlier, feigning tenderness? She did so without hesitation!” Olivia’s rage surged, causing her to unintentionally tighten her grip on Louis.
“It’s all an act, a repulsive display of pretense.”
“Act?”
“Absolutely, my dear. Even if it happens again, you must never be deceived. She’s the type of woman who hides a knife behind her back.”
Olivia whispered, her tone low as if divulging a deeply guarded secret.
“She’ll despise you and only seek to eliminate you. She views you as a political rival aiming to usurp her husband’s position. Given the chance, she’ll betray you without hesitation and with utmost cruelty.”
Louis recoiled at Olivia’s unsettling words, visibly frightened. Observing his reaction, Olivia smiled contentedly and embraced him tenderly.
“Oh, sweetheart, there’s no need to worry. I’ll always keep you safe,” she reassured him, tenderly patting his trembling form.
Leaning in close, Olivia whispered into Louis’s ear in a comforting manner, “But for me to protect you, darling, you must behave accordingly. Just as I’ve instructed. You understand what I mean, don’t you?”
“Yes… alright.”
“Good boy, my darling,” Olivia reaffirmed with a chuckle.
“Just remember my instructions and follow them, and everything will be fine.”
~~~~
It was certainly a relief that Louis was alive, but the situation was far from ideal.
‘The original plot has been altered…’
This realization troubled Anastasia the most.
Though it was a somewhat grim thought, it wasn’t difficult to speculate why the author had originally killed off Louis.
This situation arose because if the heroine, Avelin, were to marry Wilhelm and bear a prince in the future, it could pose a challenge to the succession order.
While it was theoretically correct for Avelin’s son to inherit the throne, Louis’s existence alone could potentially stir up complications.
The author likely aimed to nip this issue in the bud by eliminating Louis.
‘I’m sure Avelin won’t welcome Louis in three months either.’
This realization left her feeling uneasy.
She wished to prevent Louis from facing trouble or manipulation, especially from being entangled in a power struggle over the throne.
Then, a sudden thought crossed her mind: ‘Should I consider adopting Louis?’
The current legal guardian of Louis was Wilhelm, but Louis’s maternal family, the Fontaines, handled his day-to-day care.
Lady Fontaine was raising Louis herself, choosing not to remarry.
In the influential Fontaine family, it was uncommon not to have ulterior motives.
By adopting Louis, Anastasia could prevent the Fontaine family from exploiting him for power.
Wilhelm would likely find relief in this decision. From his perspective, the sudden death of the Emperor posed significant political challenges.
‘Of course, the most important thing is Louis’ well-being.’
At present, adopting him seemed challenging given their circumstances. Anastasia understood that she needed time to develop a bond with the child before making such a significant decision.
‘I intended to adopt him under the name of the Barantes after my removal from power.’
Given the connection between the Barantes and Louis, the idea of transferring guardianship to the Barantes house seemed plausible.
‘Alright, I’ll make an effort to bond with Louis tomorrow,’ Anastasia resolved, clenching her fist with determination.
However, the following day, Anastasia encountered an unforeseen episode.
